


Some day soon

by Coldstares



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Bilbo Baggins Returns to Erebor, Everybody Lives, M/M, Miscommunication, Stupid Feelings Are Stupid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-04 06:21:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20466443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coldstares/pseuds/Coldstares
Summary: Bilbo left Erebor thinking Nori hated him. That is, until he found Nori in his home over a year later.





	Some day soon

Bilbo Baggins did not expect to find a dwarf in his smial when he returned from the market. Much less for that dwarf to be Nori.

To say the two parted on good terms would not be an understatement, it would be a mistake. Bilbo left Erebor after the Battle of Five Armies without a word to Nori himself, and only extending an invitation for tea to the Company as a whole

And yet. Now there the dwarf was, sitting in front of Bilbo’s fireplace.

The hobbit opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, then opened it again.

“You must be hungry,” he finally spoke. “Come, I believe you’re just in time for tea.”

~

The air in the kitchen was strained and neither Bilbo nor Nori said anything as Bilbo prepared food and tea.

It wasn’t until the hobbit finally sat down that Nori spoke.

“I have letters for you,” he said, pulling out a bundle of papers. “From the others, that is. You know.”

Bilbo looked at him, a bit surprised. He wrote to his friends, of course, but that was a year and a half ago, soon after he returned to Bag End. But then, he reminded himself, it took time for the letter to arrive in Erebor, and time for Nori to come to the Shire.

“I know. Thank you,” he said, taking the bundle. He flipped through the papers. “There’s nothing from you.”

Nori looked down at his food. 

“Well I’m here, aren’t I?” he grumbled. 

Bilbo raised his eyebrows.

“Yes, you are,” he said. “And why is that, if I may ask?”

Nori looked up at him with… something in his eyes. Bilbo couldn’t read his expression but he knew the dwarf didn’t like the question.

“Look,” the hobbit sighed. “I’m sorry, I-”

“It’s fine, Bilbo,” Nori cut him off. He set down the silverware and pushed away the only half empty plate. “I should leave soon anyway.” 

Bilbo reached out for his hand to stop him, but pulled away immediately when he realised what he was doing.

“Don't go,” he pleaded instead. “At least finish eating, and get some rest.” He hesitated before adding, “Please let me explain myself.”

~

Nori, thank Yavanna, agreed to stay the night. He ate quickly and Bilbo wondered if the dwarf was simply hungry, or was it a habit from before the quest, when Nori and his brothers went without food as often as not. Neither said anything. Nori was too focused on his food, or, maybe, on not talking to Bilbo, and Bilbo skimmed through the letters.

Now they sat in front of the fireplace again, pipes in hand.

Bilbo shifted, glancing at Nori.

“I thought you hated me,” he said quietly. “Because I was a  _ traitor _ . That’s why I left.”

Nori twitched slightly at the word ‘traitor’ and looked at Bilbo.

“I didn’t think you were a traitor.” His voice was just as quiet as Bilbo’s. “But I thought you hated  _ me _ . For not doing anything.”

Bilbo let out an empty laugh.

“I could never hate you. Or maybe I could, but not for that. No,” he shook his head. “I was in love with you, you know. I think I still am.”

It was Nori’s turn to laugh. 

“You’re lucky I’m not Dori. He’d have killed you for breaking my heart if he was here.”

“But alas,” Bilbo mumbled and let out a puff of smoke.

He considered the implications of what Nori had just said. The dwarf, as though unaware of this, continued.

“You're lucky I still fancy you, too, Master Hobbit. Doesn’t mean I forgive you though."

Bilbo nearly choked.

“Thank you, Nori,” he mumbled. 

Nori only nodded and for a while they fell quiet. It was Bilbo who broke the silence.

“Say, how would others react if I came to Erebor with you?” 

A familiar, mischievous smile crept up Nori’s lips.

“Oh, I’m sure they’d be  _ delighted _ ,” he assured. “But I’d be careful around Dori. Like I said, he could kill you.”

Bilbo nodded, a smile tugging on his lips now, too.

“And how would  _ you _ feel?”

~

Preparations took nearly a week. Nori, at first, snickered at Bilbo’s need to get  _ everything  _ in order but when he realized that Bilbo meant to stay in Erebor, he was surprised.

“Well, I have friends in Erebor, don’t I?” the hobbit explained, cocking an eyebrow. “Unlike here.”

_ You are in Erebor, and I can’t let you go again  _ was something Bilbo did not say, but he hoped Nori knew.

~

On the road they fell into a somewhat familiar routine. There was no need to hurry this time, and no danger ahead, but a pair traveled faster than a group of fourteen. 

Bilbo was always the one to cook and Nori would take the first watch, even when the hobbit insisted it was not needed. They talked as often as they kept silent.

It seemed as though the journey to Erebor would be easier than the first time. After all, they knew the road ahead and they knew each other.

But the conversation they had at Bag End the day Nori arrived was hanging above them like a heavy rain cloud.

There was no normal for things to go back to for them, that Bilbo knew. But as Nori chuckled at something he said the hobbit felt like there was something good he could work for. 

And he felt like he had all the time in the world for it.

~

Dori didn’t kill Bilbo when he saw him like Nori had said he would. He gave the hobbit a warm hug, but if he squeezed a bit too tight Bilbo couldn’t blame him.

~

“I forgive you, y'know,” Nori said from the table he was sitting at.

Bilbo's head jerked up.

“What?” he asked, surprised. He was tempted to turn around, to look at Nori, but the soup he was cooking demanded his attention. 

(Whether or not he was cooking the soup because it was the dwarf’s,  _ his _ dwarf’s, favourite would remain anyone's guess.)

“Leaving. Breaking my heart. I forgive you,” Nori explained. Bilbo could feel his gaze on his back as he fumbled around the kitchen. "Did a while back, actually.”

Bilbo's eyebrows shot up even though he knew Nori couldn't see it.

“And you're only telling me now?”

Even with his back to Nori Bilbo could tell the dwarf was shrugging. 

”Figured you knew,” Nori explained simply. 

Bilbo only chuckled, not gracing him with an answer. But, even if he didn’t like it, he figured he had to admit it to himself: Nori was right.

When the dwarf had showed up in Bilbo’s quarters a few weeks after their return to Erebor asking about dinner Bilbo was surprised. But he let Nori in anyway, and they shared a meal, and they talked. The air between them was light, lighter than it had ever been during their journey, but Nori did not say anything about forgiveness, so neither did Bilbo.

And from then on, it went on like this. Nori would show up for a meal and they talked. It was a different meal every time, and no one set day for Nori’s visits but Bilbo enjoyed it. It stopped him from falling into a routine that was otherwise looming over him.

“I thought you only came for my cooking,” Bilbo laughed finally, breaking the silence that had fallen after Nori’s words. 

Nori let out a chuckle.

“You’re better cook than Bombur, I give you that. So I did come for the food, no shame in that. But I  _ am _ rather fond of you, too, y'know.”

“Don’t let Bombur hear that,” Bilbo told Nori, setting two bowls on the table. “It’ll break his heart.”

“What will?” Nori asked, gazing at the soup as if it was the Arkenstone. “That I’m fond of you? He’s  _ married _ , Bilbo. He has  _ kids _ .”

Bilbo rolled his eyes with a smile. 

“No, not that. The fact that you think I’m a better cook.” 

“I can’t promise anything,” Nori informed him between gulps. “But I’ll try.”

After that, they moved on to other topics: they discussed current goings on in Erebor (Thorin’s stubborn refusal to get married) and shared jokes about everything and nothing at the same time (again, Thorin’s stubborn refusal to get married). And when Nori finally left Bilbo took a deep breath and admitted to himself that it was the lightest he’d felt in  _ months _ .

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @gilmorez.  
Might write a part two, idk


End file.
